Beginner's Guide to FPS Gaming

OK, nothing too great, just that I've noticed kid players (not in terms of age, but in terms of skill) in UT and Quake (all versions) type FPS games run in intricate straight lines and turn at right angles. I mean, I just fall off the chair laughing when I see such stuff, notwithstanding the fact that I too must have done that for a couple of days when I was a toddler. Anyhow, the point is that "RUNNING IN PREDICTABLE PATTERNS IS IDIOTIC AND MAKES YOU TARGET PRACTICE FOR OTHERS".

So if you're not comfortable with aiming and jumping, just trying running in a zig-zag manner. And even the zig-zag should not be with constant time-period. Just move randomly. And after some practise, you'll be able to aim at people perfect even while running zig-zag. Never stop moving.

And please! "MOVING YOUR CAMERA AROUND, I.E YOUR MOUSE WILDLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS DOES *NOT* MAKE YOU MOVE RANDOMLY". Believe me, I've seen players doing that too.. moving your camera/gun randomly is standing at one place and twisting your neck & head around wildly as if its going to fall off.

Once you're comfortable with moving around randomly, start jumping. The first thing I tell newbie players is to use W+A+S+D instead of normal arrow keys. That is because you are going to find it really easy to have a big space-bar configured to jump rather than some miniscule R-Shift key or something. So while using W+A+S+D for movement, you just can hit your thumb on a large spacebar and you jump. Its really awkward doing that with arrow keys. Jumping is really really important. It makes it really hard for anyone to aim at you. And in UT, double jump, i.e jumping again once you're in mid air takes you to a height that can create a psycological impact on your target. Attacking from higher elevations always gives you a psycological advantage. Again, please don't jump in predictable fashions. You still should move while in mid air. Touching the ground only to jump again. And after a lot of practice, you'll be able to aim perfectly at people even while in mid-air. Lots of beginners give up, since that requires a lot of practice and playing with strong players. But don't overdo jumping. Jumping and shooting when there is a stationary or a stupid *straight-line* player is idiotic. Run, and shoot with a careful aim. Don't waste ammo. Your gunfire will draw people, especially since experienced players always listen carefully to the sounds around them. Anyone who wastes too much ammo is a kid. And they come in for their prey. Always.

This brings me to the last piece of advice: Play Online. Play online regularly, and play with only the best. Don't try to boost your ego by playing against bots or equal-level or below-level players. Play in rooms with really godlike players. In the first few months, 99% of the time you will end with a zero score or something similar to that. But the experience you get will soon boost your skill to something far more than what you had earlier.

That's all I have to say. There may be certain things that several of you gamers out there might not agree with, but I'm talking through personal experience.